Battle of St. Quentin (1557)

The Battle of St. Quentin (10-27 August 1557) was a significant battle of the Italian War of 1551-59. The Spanish army consisted of multiple national contingents: Spanish troops constistuted about 10% of the Habsburg total, and the battle was said to have been won by a mainly Netherlandish army commanded by the non-Spaniards the Duke of Savoy and the Count of Egmont. However, the Spanish troops in the army were of high quality, contributing to their triumph. Constable of France Anne de Montmorency's army was overwhelmed by the numerically superior Spanish army, and the sight of the battlefield gave King Philip II of Spain a permanent distaste for war. He declined to pursue his advantage, instead withdrawing into the Spanish Netherlands to the north.